I was thinking of ordering this book, has anybody read it and have any opinions: Khenpo Palden Sherab and Khenpo Tsewang Dongyal, The Splendid Presence of the Great Guhyagarbha, Opening the Wisdom Door to the King of All Tantras.

Also, has anyone read Nathaniel DeWitt's thesis on Tenpe Nyima's commentary on the Guhyagarbha? I am reading Mipham's Luminous Essence which is incredible, I would just like to have some more information to put that work into context. I realize that there are some translations out there from Light of Berotsana, but I am unable to purchase them at this point. If anyone has any other suggestions for study on the Guhyagarbha or Mahayoga in general it would be much appreciated.

Gyurme Dorje translated the tantra along with Longchenpa's commentary for his phd thesis. It is available from the British library thesis service for the flat fee they charge for all theses. You may be able to download it direct from their website, too.http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?did=1&uin=uk.bl.ethos.283769

I was thinking of ordering this book, has anybody read it and have any opinions: Khenpo Palden Sherab and Khenpo Tsewang Dongyal, The Splendid Presence of the Great Guhyagarbha, Opening the Wisdom Door to the King of All Tantras.

The Khenpo brothers commentary is not difficult to read and quite interesting, I don't regret buying it. I also have, with my root Guru's blessing, the root Tantra and Longchenpa's long commentary from Light of Berotsana which is quite heavy but truly amazing.

/magnus

"To reject practice by saying, 'it is conceptual!' is the path of fools. A tendency of the inexperienced and something to be avoided."- Longchenpa

Don't feel the need to answer, but did you recieve the empowerment or were you able to buy the translation with permission from your guru? I was thinking of asking Lho Ontul Rinpoche for his blessing to study this work. It seems that Drikung Rinchen Phuntsok was a major holder of the lineage of this tantra, so as a practitioner of the Yangzab it seems appropritate to study. Of course I would love to get the empowerment but seeing as though I am not in California at the moment I don't know when that will happen. Do you think that they would let me purchase the text?

It works for me. look on the http://vajrayana.faithweb.com website. maybe something wrong with your browser or pdf reader. thanks for the link, too, dzogchungpa. I'd forgotten about that great website.

Don't feel the need to answer, but did you recieve the empowerment or were you able to buy the translation with permission from your guru? I was thinking of asking Lho Ontul Rinpoche for his blessing to study this work. It seems that Drikung Rinchen Phuntsok was a major holder of the lineage of this tantra, so as a practitioner of the Yangzab it seems appropritate to study. Of course I would love to get the empowerment but seeing as though I am not in California at the moment I don't know when that will happen. Do you think that they would let me purchase the text?

Troy

I have my Guru's permission and I have received and practiced several Shitro practices. But I never got the Guhyagharbha empowerment. It was enough to buy it.

/magnus

"To reject practice by saying, 'it is conceptual!' is the path of fools. A tendency of the inexperienced and something to be avoided."- Longchenpa

You probably already know this, but I found it interesting that there's a Guhyagarbha empowerment (or multi-empowerment is more like it) in the Chokling Tersar. I'd never heard of a terma of Guhyagarbha until Khenpo Namdrol said that's where the empowerment he was about to give came from. Anyhow, just an interesting tidbit.

You probably already know this, but I found it interesting that there's a Guhyagarbha empowerment (or multi-empowerment is more like it) in the Chokling Tersar. I'd never heard of a terma of Guhyagarbha until Khenpo Namdrol said that's where the empowerment he was about to give came from. Anyhow, just an interesting tidbit.

All shitro cycles enable access to the same mandala, the Guhyagarbha. Yes, somewhere TUR was talking about the Mahayoga Shitro term of Chokgyur Lingpa that was very profound. You got it?

/magnus

"To reject practice by saying, 'it is conceptual!' is the path of fools. A tendency of the inexperienced and something to be avoided."- Longchenpa

heart wrote:All shitro cycles enable access to the same mandala, the Guhyagarbha.

Wait, I got the empowerment for Namcho Shitro and Shitro Khorde Rangdrol (Changchub Dorje's terma). Does that mean I could study it too? I wanted to get something on Guhyagarbha for a while but always had the thought in the back of my head that maybe there's not much point to it since I didn't have the Guhyagarbha empowerment...

edit: Note that these Shitro are Anuyoga, not sure if it matters.

Although many individuals in this age appear to be merely indulging their worldly desires, one does not have the capacity to judge them, so it is best to train in pure vision.- Shabkar

heart wrote:All shitro cycles enable access to the same mandala, the Guhyagarbha.

Wait, I got the empowerment for Namcho Shitro and Shitro Khorde Rangdrol (Changchub Dorje's terma). Does that mean I could study it too? I wanted to get something on Guhyagarbha for a while but always had the thought in the back of my head that maybe there's not much point to it since I didn't have the Guhyagarbha empowerment...

edit: Note that these Shitro are Anuyoga, not sure if it matters.

I don't know how they look at these things at Light of Berotsana but ultimately the only thing I had to provide was my Guru's permission to buy the book. Personally I think all shitros, maha, anu and ati, have the same root, the Guhyagarbha.

/magnus

"To reject practice by saying, 'it is conceptual!' is the path of fools. A tendency of the inexperienced and something to be avoided."- Longchenpa

You probably already know this, but I found it interesting that there's a Guhyagarbha empowerment (or multi-empowerment is more like it) in the Chokling Tersar. I'd never heard of a terma of Guhyagarbha until Khenpo Namdrol said that's where the empowerment he was about to give came from. Anyhow, just an interesting tidbit.

All shitro cycles enable access to the same mandala, the Guhyagarbha. Yes, somewhere TUR was talking about the Mahayoga Shitro term of Chokgyur Lingpa that was very profound. You got it?

/magnus

I received the first half, the peaceful mandala, from Khenpo Namdrol at Orgyen Dorje Den a year or two ago. Very profound. And then Rinpoche gave the lung for Do Drupchen's Guhyagarbha commentary. Funny story, I fell asleep for a few minutes during the probably 2 + hour lung, but I was still hearing it in my dream. At first I was in a classroom and the teacher was talking gibberish and then I realized "oh snap, that's really Khenpo Namdrol giving the lung" and then I woke up and perked up my attention.

Pero wrote:What's the difference between all these books and Luminous Essence: A Guide To The Guhyagarbha Tantra by Mipham?

Haven't read the Khenpo Rinpoches' book yet, so all I can say is that there are two traditions of Guhyagarbha commentary: its presentation according to Mahayoga's own POV and its presentation according to Dzogchen. Luminous Essence, which is the only one I've read, is based on Longchenpa's Guhyagarbha commentary, and like Longchenpa, Mipham is coming from the Dzogchen side. If you wanna understand more about this and how these two presentations are non-contradictory, click the link to Gyurme Dorje's Guhyagarbha thesis earlier in the thread. It's super informative and I found it very interesting.

Pero wrote:What's the difference between all these books and Luminous Essence: A Guide To The Guhyagarbha Tantra by Mipham?

Light of Berotsana also translated "Luminous Essence" as "Essence of Clear Light" only difference is that the Light of Berotsana one is restricted. The translations on the commentary of the Guhyagarbha Tantra that Light of Berotsana done are considered the most important ones. Amazing work since it also have the complete transcripts of the teachings of these commentaries by Khenpo Namdrol published. Amazing work, it should all be available for everyone unrestricted.

Longchenpa's commentary is a lot longer than the Luminous Essence one and include a vast vision of every aspect of Buddhism. The Khenpo brothers commentary is a short way of explaining the Guhyagarbha Tantra using only a few chapters, but it is the one that is easiest to read. I haven't read the others.

/magnus

"To reject practice by saying, 'it is conceptual!' is the path of fools. A tendency of the inexperienced and something to be avoided."- Longchenpa